Question

I work on the desk.
Your original lead looked fine to me. A good editor knows when to keep their fingers to themselves.
I would be pissed off if I were you, just as I'm annoyed when reporters give me a story that contains a typo in their lead.
He should apologize, even if it's just in an e-mail.

 

First do no harm.

 

Change for the sake of change. My old friend ...

 

Give the copyeditor a break. He probably had to rush off to cover a Kentucky-ND game.

 

Get over yourself.

Obviously the copy editor didn't do it on purpose - unless you have real morons working your desk. Point it out to the guy, but really, for that you need to start a thread?

 

Stuff happens. I've had two errors edited into my copy recently, but that pales in comparison to the ones that have been edited out.

We're all on the same side here.

 

i guess you should, because after reading this thread, it's obvious there sure are a lot of perfect fucking writers around this joint.

 

While I wouldn't have made that change -- and I do a lot of editing every night -- it's a little mistake, and you'll forget about it soon. We all do.

I don't understand these threads, I guess, because it's just a route to an easy outing. If you work in sports, Sneed, your cover's blown (if you had one). If you're an OK writer, and you see an obvious mistake, of course a group of writers will agree. There's no need to draw the attention and risk humiliating not only your coworker, but yourself, too.

 

First rule of copy editing: Don't add errors.
But in the grand scheme of things, it's a small mistake. I once had an editor who lived by the rule: We all make mistakes. Just make sure they're not in 60 point.

 

Everybody makes mistakes. Even Sneed.

As a copy editor, I will say that simply should never happen. There really wasn't a good reason to insert that, and that person should not be working a copy desk if they don't know the difference between your/you're.

It's unacceptable, and Sneed should be pissed. It seems small, but something like that can ruin an award-winning story (or at least somthing that's woth saving for a clip). If I had made that mistake, I'd hope someone would point it out (and hopefully not be too much of a dick).

 

Hopefully you've grown out of this.
Because it sounds pretty T.O.ish actually. Look at me, look at me. I'm mad and I want everyone to know. Give me attention!!!! Please!!!!

 

But it reads so much tighter with the "your."